Method of pumping liquid.



BEST AvAxLABLE cw No. 773,908. PATENTEDNOVJ. l, 1904' AIG. WATBRHOUSE.Y A

METHOD 0F PUMPING LIQUID.

- APPLICATION FILED 11:12.11', 19M. l

N0 MODEL 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Figi 351; @Howl/l2 l UNITED STATES c'Op-lfatented November i, 1904,

1PATENT l GEEIOE.

ADDISON e. WATER'HOUSE, OE EOOKIQAND COUNTY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOE TO WATEEHOUSE STEAM AND VACUUM PUMP COMPANY, A CORPORA- TION OE MAINE.

METHOD OF Pumpluenloulo.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Piatent i'o. '773.908, dated November 1, 1904.

l Application filed February 11, 1904. Serial No.i-193,03`7 (N0 mOdel.)

To all whom t may sondern:

' the receptacle above the liquid being filled with air. Steam is then let on to the receptacle, which at rst mingles with the` air therein and then the two combined form a pressure upon the surface of the liquid, Whereupon some'steam lis condensed and the air remains as an insulating stratum upon the liquid, which prevents condensation of the steam by the liquid, and during this operation the pressure of the steam forces Vthe liquid from the receptacle through 4an eductiOn-passage until the surface of thev liquid in therecep- .the air on the surface of the liquid is disf" charged from the receptacle, whereby the steam is brought into direct contact with the liquid therein and whereby condensation of the steam Occurs. Afrom the receptacle substantially simultaneously with or closely, according to the time that the air is discharged from the surface of the liquid. Then a limited volume of liquid for condensing the steam is forced into the upper interior oi' the receptacle, whereby the contained steam is condensed, forming-a vacu um in the receptacle, and liquid is thereby drawn through an induction-passage into'the receptacle until the liquid reaches a substantially predetermined high vlevel therein,l and then the condensing liquid entering the receptacle is-shut .off and at about the same time In carrying out my invention.

Steam is then shut off airis admitted to fill 'the remaining space in the receptacle above the surface of the liquid therein'. By this method a proper proportion of liquid and air is at all times provided in the receptacle to cause an efficient pumping operation. "Steam is then again admitted to the receptacle and the above-namedv steps j again followin order, whereby the work of pumping liquid, as stated, is accomplished and'con'tinued. f Y

,The apparatus I have shown by which my improved method of `pumping liquid may be carried out comprises, primarily, a closed reoeptacle providedpwith an induction liquid pipe land valve, an eductiou liquid pipe and 4 valve, a'steam-pipe leading from a source of supply to the upper interior of the receptacle, a condensing-,water pipe leading into the receptacle at a point 'near its upper interior,'an air-inlet leading into the receptacle with means to control the admission of air approximately at the time the liquid in the receptacle reaches a predetermined high level, and means for'also stopping the iow of condensing liquid into the receptacle at such time,au'd an air-discharge located, approximatelyy above the level through -which the liquid is discharged from the receptacle, with means'to cause the sudden discharge oi' air from the receptacle when the liquid therein eaci'es approximately a predetermined low eve Suitable mechanism for carrying out my improved method of pumping liquid is illus- 'trated' in the accompanying drawings, in

Whichv Figure 1 is a partly-sectional side elevation 4of an apparatus having two liquid-receptacles and devices for permitting the Operations above set forth. Fig. 2 is a sectional side view of a slightly-modified form of apparatus having a single liquid-receptacle, and Fig. 3 is a sectional detail View hereinafter'explained..

Similar numerals of reference indicate c'orresponding parts in the several views.

Referring to the first form of apparat-us shown in Fig. 1, the numerals l la indicate two receptacles, each havingv liquid-induction valves 2 and a common induction-passage 3, also eduction-valves 4 and a common eduction-passage 5, and at 6 is indicated a steamsupply pipe, shown having branches 7 7a leading to the receptacles 1 1, respectively, and provided with steam-valves 8' 8, shown connected by stems 8l 8c with a piston 8l within a cylinder 8e. At 9is a pipe for condensing liquid leading from the eductionpipe 5 and shown having two branches 1() 10a provided with check-valves 11 1l and leading to theupper interior of the receptacles 1 1, respectively. Each of these receptacles is provided with similar operative parts, and therefore a description ofone will sufce. Within each receptacle is located a float (indicated at 12) which rests upon and follows the surfaceofthe contained liquid and is adapted to travel up and down upon the valve-rod 13. While this float to anextent covers the surface of theliquid in theA receptacle and acts as an insulating medium between the steam and the liquid, it also. performs. the Work of operatingV valves, as follows: Upon rod 13v is a collar 13which.the oat 12 is adapted to strike as liquid risesin the receptacle, and the float thereupon raisesV the rod 13y and closes the condensing-liquid valve le, connected with,said,rod,which thenvshuts of the` inflow of. condensing liquid fromthe corresponding branch pipe. At 15l is an air-inlet valve communicating with the receptacle,- and at 16 is anI air-checkl valve communicating with valve 1,5 to permit the inflow of air to the receptacle, but to prevent outflow of Huid therefrom. The stem 15.1 of valve 15 is shown in position to be operated by an. extension 1,3b of rod 13. Vhenthe float 1,24rises, soas to lift rod 13 and close the condensing-waterinlet valve 14C, it about the same time opens valve 15V to admit air through the check-valve 16 into the receptacle.` By such means liquid is permitted to enter the receptacle until it reaches. a predetermined level therein. rlfhen the condensing liquidv is shut ofl" and at or about the Sametime air is admitted to break the vacuum and fill the remaining space in the receptacle withair, whereby the proper portion of both liquid and air is secured at each operation in order to effectelicient results. Steam must be usedat each stroke to completely fill the receptacle downto the lowest' extreme to which the liquid is forced therefrom, and if the receptacle should be but partly filled with liquid there will be less liquid forced out and still a full charge of steam will be used, while, on the other hand, if too y little air is admitted undue condensation of .steam will occur, according to the lack ofsufficient air toformaninsulating stratum'upon theliquid, and, furthermore, too much condenS-.ing liquid is used or allowed to enter the( receptacle after the steam has all. bepn condensed such surplus liquid will be wasted, Thererorethe necessity of` shutting off the in- .to let steam into the other receptacle. 4the various steps of my improved method of BEST AVLABLE CGP" liowing condensing liquid and admitting the proper volume of air above the liquid in the receptacle at the right time and in the proper order is apparent. When the receptacle is charged with its proper complements of water and air, thenteam is let on, and this is effected in theform ofk apparatus shown in Fig. 1 by opening the steam-valve for one receptacle at the time that the steam is shut off from the other receptacle. After steam is passed into the receptacle 1 the liquid Vtherein is forceddown and out through the eduction-valve 4 and passage 5 under a pres- Vsure according to that of the steam until the :surface of the liquid lowers, so that the fioat 12 encounters a collar 13 on rod 13, and then the weight of the float will press said rod down upon the movable parts 17 a of the valve 17 and open it by overcoming-the pressure of spring 17h. Thiswill allow someA liquid and the air upon the surface of the liquid` to escape through` thevvalve 17 and out through the check-valve 18-and pipe 18 to the adjustable blow-olf or drip 19, which is connected by a pipe 20,with cylinder V85* on one side of piston 8d, the pipe 2Q of the other receptacle being connected with cylinder 8? on the oppositeside of the piston. As the air is thus discharged Afrom the receptacle into pipe 2O part escapes through the cock 19, and an air-pressure is transmitted up pipe 20 into cylinder 8e, whereby. the piston is moved to close the steam-valve of the corresponding. receptacle (asl) and atl the same time open the steamvalve of the other receptacle to admit steam thereto,` thereby causing an alternate pumping action of-emptying one receptacle of liquid lwhile the other is being-filled. As soon as the air is discharged from the surface of the liquid in one receptacle (as 1) the steam therein comesin. contact with the remaining liquid, whichresults'in condensation, whereby the pressure in suchl receptacle is lowered A and permits condensing, liquid to return from the discharge-pipe 5 up through the pipe 9,

, branch pipe 10,y past check-valve 11 andvalve :.14 into the upper interior of the receptacle, whereby the steam therein is completely condensed, a-vacuum formed, and a new charge of liquid is drawnin-through the induction-passage, and whensuchliquid rises valve 17 closes, the float 12 rises so as to strike the collar 13, and the condensing-liquid valve 14 is closed to shut oli" inflowing condensing liquid and the air-inlet valve 15l is. opened to admit air to fill the space remaining in the receptacle above the liquid. At such time the liquid in the other receptacle, as at 1a, will have been lowered so that its valve 17 will open and the air :from the surface of the liquidtherein will then, be suddenly discharged and its pressure will operate the piston 8d to'shut steam; off from that receptacle and open the valvle 8 T ius IOC pumping liquid occur inproper order' in each receptacle and in the arrangements shown in Fig. 1 are so timed that the operations will alternately occur with respect to each receptacle, so that a substantially continuous pumping operation takes place-that is to say, in

each receptacle condensing liquid is admitted,

is shut off, and condensation therein again:

occurs, when the steam is then turned on to the'other receptacle. t

In Fig. 2 an apparatus is shown in which the same method is carried out; but the pumping is intermittent in that a single receptacle 1 is used and provided with liquid induction and eduction means, a check-valve 5a is placed in the discharge-pipe 5, a check-valve 9EL is located in the condensing-liquid pipe 9, and also i automatic means are provided for causing the several steps of the method and in the order before set forth-to be carried out. In this form of apparatus the float 12 is pivotally. supported, as at 12, and has a bell-crank lever 12", which engages the stern 14 of the condensing-liquid valve 14, the arrangement being such that the upward movement of iioat 12, caused by the proper volume of liquid bey ing drawn into the receptacle, closes the valve 14 and shuts off the inflow of condensing liquid and at the same. time allows the vacuum in the receptacle to draw air in through the check-valve 16, and as the air-check valve 16 is shown connected with the passage for the condensing liquid between the valve 14 and the receptacle it will be understood that while the condensing liquid is being forced through such passage past the valve 14 and spray or stricture 14" the back pressure of this water keeps the air-'check 16 closed, so that no air can enter until the proper time, which is permitted when the ioat 12 rises and closes the valve 14, and thereby permits the check-valve 16 to open. The steam -Valve 8, which is caused to open and close in accordance with the extreme rise and fall of liquid in the receptacle, is operated (in the form shown in Fig. 2) by the piston 8d in the cylinder or chamber 89, connected by rod 8b with said valve 8.

Said piston has a limited motion, so that when it is raised the valve 8 is opened and the steam turned on and when the piston falls the steam is shut oil'. The means shown Jfor operating the piston and valve 8 are as follows: At 21 is an air-blowout passage leading from receptacle 1 and communicating with a pipe 21, leading to an outlet 21, and having an injecses? AVAELABLE cor-r tor 21, communicating by branch 21lo with cylinder 8e. Y The pipe 21a has a check-valve 21e and a globe-valve 21, which is normally closed. At 22 is indicated a thermostat, which is shown in the form or' a tube having its inner end closed and extendinghorizontally into the receptacle 1 at about the level vat which the water is to be discharged therefrom, being shown located within the air-discharge passage 21, and said thermostat-tube cornmunicates witha casing 23, as shown in Fig. 3, provided with chambers 23 23b on oppo-- 'site sides of a diaphragm 24, with one of which chambers i the thermostat 22 communicates, and said'tube is charged with alcohol or other volatile fluid capable ofquickly expanding by reason of steam heat as the liquid in the receptacle lowers to the level of the thermostat 22. The steam 'of-the globe-valve 21A bears against Said diaphragm when the valve is vclosedandas the material ofthe thermostat is expanded by the steam heat it causes the globevalve to opemwhereby the air'from the surface ofthe liquid is permitted to suddenly escape from thesurface of the liquid in receptacle and in so doingcauses the injector 21c to withdraw the pressure from under the piston 8d and cause it to move downwardly by gravitation to close the steam-valve 8, thereby shutting ott the steam from the receptacle when the surface ofv the' liquid therein reaches a predetermined low level., y As the air is thus discharged from the surface of the liquid in the receptacle the steam will descend upon the liquid and condensation will take place, and thereupon lquid'of condensation willenter the receptacle through pipe 9,and when the receptacle is again Arechargedwith liquid, so that the float 12 is again raised, condensing liquid shut oil, and air admitted into the receptacle above the liquid therein,-the cool liquid drawn into the receptacle will condense the gases in` the thermostat 22 and allow the globe-valve 21? to close. This will cause the weight of the water in the receptacle to transmit a-pressure from the injector 21c through pipe 21bto the space under the piston 8, causing the same to rise and open the steam-valve 8, thereby letting on steam immediately after the receptacle has received its proper charge lapparatus diiiering in details from the arrangements sliown. Y

I do not in this application claim the mechanism herein shown and described with respect to the control of the inflow of air to the receptacle and the discharge of air therefrom 4and the control or' the inliowing steam by such discharged air, as that is embracedinthe rsubject-matter of my pending applications, Serial No. 181,625, filed November 18, 1903,and Serial No. 188,174, filed January 8, 1904, and

IOO

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I reserve the right to file an application embracing the means hereinshown for control-- densation of steam to start, shutting off the supply of steam 'to the receptacle, admitting liquid to the receptacle to coinplete condensation of steam therein, charging the receptacle with liquid up to substantially a predetermined high level therein, admitting air to the receptacle-When the liquid has reached such high level therein, and againadmitting'steam to the receptacle to act upon the liquid therein, substantially as described.

2. The herein-described methodof pumping liquid consisting in admitting steam to a receptacle containing liquid and .air to discharge the liquid therefrom, discharging air from the surface of the liquid upon the latter reaching an approximately predetermined low level in the receptacle thereby causing condensation of steam to start, shutting off the supply of steam to the receptacle, admitting liquid to the receptacle to complete condensation of steam therein, charging the receptacle with liquid up to substantially a predetermined high level therein, admitting air to the receptacle when the liquid lhas reached such high level therein, and shutting off the inlioW of condensing liquid to the receptacle and admitting air thereto to lill the space within the receptacle above the liquid, substantially as described.

8. The herein-described method of pumping liquid consisting in admitting steam to a receptacle containing liquid and air to discharge the liquid therefrom, discharging the air from the surface of the liquid upon the liquid reaching an approximately predeter- -BEST AVALABLECOP 'frases mined lovvl level in the receptacle, employing such. discharged air Aforcausingthesupplyof steam to be shut off .fromthe receptacle, causing condensation of ysteam to start in fthe receptacle by reason of the Withdrawal of the insulating air from between the surface of the liquid and the main body of the steam, admitting liquid to the receptacle to complete condensation of steam therein, chargingthe receptacle with liquid up to substantially a predetermined vhigh level therein, admitting air to the receptacleupon the liquid reaching a high level therein, and again admittingsteam to the'receptacle after the air. has been admitted thereto and the liquid therein has reached a high level, substantially as described.

4. The herein-described method'of pumping liquid consisting in admitting steam to a receptacle containing liquid and air to discharge .the liquidtherefrom, discharging the air from the surface of the liquid upon the liquid reaching anapproximately predetermined loW level inthe receptacle, employing suchdischarged air for-causing the supply of steam to be shut off from the receptacle, causing condensation of steam to start in the receptacle byreason of the withdrawal of the insulating air from between the surface of the liquid and the main body of steam, admitting liquid to the receptacle to complete condensation of steam vtherein,charging the receptacle with liquid up to substantially a predetermined .high level therein, stopping the admission of condensing liquid into the receptacle after the latter is charged with liquid up to substantially-.a predetermined high level, admitting air-tothe receptacle upon the liquid .reaching a high level therein, and again admitting steam to the receptacle after the air has been admitted thereto and the liquid therein has reached a high level, substantially as described.

ADDISON G. WATERHOUSE.

Witnesses:

T. F. BOURNE, M. HoLLINGsHEAD. 

